When a young witch goes off to boarding school, she discovers powers that leave her with a challenging choice. Eleven-year-old Hallie is more thrilled than you might think to be shipping off to boarding school. After seeing how horrible "normal" kids can be--kids like her former BFF, Kendall Scott--Hallie figures The Dowling Academy School of Witchcraft will be a welcome fresh start. Plus, it's a chance to make her dad proud that she's continuing family traditions and becoming the best kind of witch, just like her legendary great-great-grandmother. But when Hallie arrives at Dowling, she's dismayed to discover her roommate will be none other than awful Kendall. And when Hallie's witching talents take a turn for the dark side, she must determine whether it's abilities or choices that distinguish the good from the wicked.

Looking forward to a new start at magic boarding school after concluding that "normal" kids are probably all horrible, Hallie looks forward to continuing her family's witchy traditions before discovering that her roommate is her nemesis from her previous school.